NEWS FROM ACROSS THE NATION

MAN ACCUSED OF DISMEMBERING 5 DOGS AT NEVADA MOTEL: RENO, Nev. (AP) — A 24-year-old man is accused of killing and dismembering several dogs and keeping their heads in small refrigerator in a Nevada motel room.

Jason Brown is scheduled to appear at a status hearing Wednesday in Washoe District Court on animal torture and drug charges that could send him to prison for more than 20 years.

Authorities say he was arrested July 9 after a maid called police when she found a decapitated dog in the bathtub of a Reno motel room Brown was renting.

Police say they found four dog heads inside a small refrigerator, and several bloody knives and scissors.

Brown’s lawyer, John Oakes, tells the Reno Gazette-Journal the former Reno High School student has “mental health issues” and might need a psychiatric evaluation before he goes to trial.

AGE LIMIT TO OUST SOME LOUISIANA COURT OFFICIALS: BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A new law preventing anyone 70 or older from running for constable or justice of the peace in Louisiana is facing stiff opposition — especially among the officials who are about to be banned from re-election because of their age.

The mandatory retirement provision was signed into law in June with little fanfare. Now, however, the law is drawing fire as the deadline for filing to run in the November election approaches next week. Some of the court officials affected by the new law say they intend to run anyway, even though it says they are too old.

“I’m 77 years of age, but I feel that I’m more qualified and capable of being a justice of the peace at this age than I was when I was elected 42 years ago,” said Lynwood Broussard, who represents a ward in Lafayette Parish in south-central Louisiana. “I feel that the people in my district should decide if I’m capable or too old to represent them.”

A law that sets a mandatory retirement age of 70 for constables and justices of the peace has been on the books since 2006. The law excluded anyone elected before then. Republican state Sen. Elbert Guillory’s bill removed that exemption, a change that will affect about 160 officials.

Fair officials say $100,000 would have bought almost every animal in the sale of champions just four years ago. This year, the auction netted more than $260,000 for the kids who raised the animals, as well as the 4-H and Future Farmers of America programs, which each receive 10 percent of the proceeds.

FLORIDA ARTIST GUILTY IN MUSEUM VASE-SMASHING: MIAMI (AP) — A South Florida artist has pleaded guilty to a criminal mischief charge for smashing a vase that was part of a museum exhibit by noted Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei.

Maximo Caminero entered the plea Wednesday. He agreed to 18 months’ probation, payment of $10,000 restitution to an insurance company for the destroyed vase and 100 hours of community service at local art programs.

Caminero also issued a letter of apology. At the time, Caminero said he was protesting what he thought was lack of support for local artists by the new Perez Art Museum Miami. Caminero now says that was wrong.